Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-08-19
THElI0USE ON THE MARSH:
THE MYSTERY OF THE ALDERS.
BY FLORENCE WARDEN

CHAPTER XIII.
''Miss Christie!"
1t was Mr.. Rayner calling. I did
not answer.
Miss Christie, my dear child, are
You there? Are you coAscious?"
The handle of the door turned, but :;
was locked.
Il am not i'll, thank you"
''But your voice is weak. Did that
woman hurt youP" he asked, anxious.
ly.
NO. no; l am only frightened. ]
will tell YOU all about it Tomorrow. ]
cant talk now"
Then as thought of what had Just
occurred | again became frightened al
the thought of Sarah, and historically
begged MIR. Rayner to keep her away.
''She shall not come near YOU, child
] swear it! You are quite safe. Twill
lock the door at the bottom of these
stairs, and come and let you out my.
self in the morning." he said, in low
voice.
The thought of being locked in
did not reassure me much; but
thanked him and wished him good
night, with a last piteous appeal to
keep Sarah away. Then l groped
in the dark until l found q match and
lighted my candle which l placed by
my bedside. lay awake a long time
but finally, worn out. fell asleep.
The following morning Mr.. Rayner
unlocked my door and conducted me
to the breakfast-room. Twas looking
very white and haggard. The thought
OF having Sarah wait on me at the
table filled me with dread. and with
tightly closed lips l awaited her appear
ance. But to my great relief Jane
waited on the table. Had Sarah gone
already? My heart leaped at the
thought At breakfast Mr.. Rayner
proposed that Haidee and I accompany
him to town, saying that both mistress
and pupil were looking as though q
holiday would do them good. as
sented, rather nervOusly, and he told
me to be ready in an hours time.
After breakfast l went to my room,
where found Jane attending to the
work. She looked at me shyly and felt
sure she had heard something of nv
adventure. wanted to know what.
She prepared to leave the room as
entered.
''Never mind. Jane; don't 90. So
you are doing the rooms this morn
Eyes. miss. Ihavc got to get into the
way of it. You know Sarah is going
away. miss?'
'is she?" and could not keep my
face from Frightening. "But what is
she going away for?" ..-
"Oh its all along of you. miss! She
burst into cook and me this morning,
and said she would not stay in house
where there were sucu goings on. Oh,
she said all kinds O. things about you
but cook and l paid no attention to
them; we're used to old Sally. But
then she said-she said"
Yes-well?"
"She said as how she went up tc
your room, hearing a noise. and ther
as how"
"Go on"
"Then as how-Mr. Rayner came up
and-and wasn't best pleased to find
her there"
"Yes-well."
But Jane would not 90 on, but go'
very red and fidgeted about with the
cloth she was holding. And suddenly,
as watched the girl in wonder, the
whole awful truth flashed upon me ol
the complexion that Sarah had given
to the story. l did not speak for {
minute-and then said very quietly
II suppose she didn't tell you that
she tried to steal something weal
round my neck; that, when she found
she couldn't, she threw handkerchief
steeped with some drug over my face
to make me unconscious. that she
might get at it more easily; that it wa.
my screams that brought Mr.. Raynel
up- stairs, and that he stood outside and
called her till she came to him. Here
IN show you the very handkerchief. >
had tucked it down in the corner
of one of the drawers. 1t still smell
family of the stuff it had been soaked
in. Little James face frightened witt
wonder and downright honest pleas
ure
I'm that glad. miss: could Dance
her fall downstairs in the dark. and
went on up without taking no notice
and she really is good deal bruised
and serves her right But there never
is no believing Sarah. And for her tc
talk about goings-on! Oh, my, we die
laugh, cook and metz And Jane
chattered on about Sarah and her many
unpleasant attributes till she hai
finished her work, and left the room
with bright grin of friendship.
So Sarah, after doing me a wrong
worse than all the rest in circulating
lies to injure my reputation, was 90
ing. But she would probably not &
ut once and felt could not sleep an
other night in the same house with her
had resolved to leave the Alders as
lay awake the night before. disliket
tn do so was sorrv to leave Mr.
Rayner and sweet little Haidee. And
there was still another reason which
made the thought of leaving Geldham
harder than ever. But the terrors
had passed through outweighed al
other considerations. So I packed my
boxes and was ready to 60. had NJ
salary vet, as l had not been two
months At the Alders. but my uncl'
had given me q sovereign for emergen
cies. So went to the study to inform
Mr.. 0ayner OF my iuen.Aons i"suo
nervously, and took the drugget
handkerchief with me to convince hin
nv adventure was not mere fancy. as
thought he might try to make me be
lieve.
Mr. Rayner received me kindly ant
gave me q chair. Then asking me h
wait q minute while he spoke to Sam
he left the room. He had been gon
but a moment when I heard nois
and looking up saw Sarah.
> Isprung to my feet with . scream
and darted to tho bell.
"Don't!' said she. sharply. "A
; least wait . minute-give me hear
ing. l did not mean to hurt you las
night; and 1 didn't want to steal you
letter. l only wanted to read it. ! ar
of q curious disposition and don
stick at trifles to find out what wan
, to know. The stuff on the handkel